Railway-crossing.



0. c. DOUGLAS.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

APPLICATION mm saw. 5. 191a.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

- D. C. DOUGLAS.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1916.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lmwamior. 2647 6.021

' ings, ofwwhich :tion. i

This inventionrelates to arailway crossing for use at steam or street railway inter- DEAN c. DOUGLAS, or ros antennas, cALiFoRmA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING.

To all whom it may concern: 1 "Be itknown thatpl, DEAN; C. D UeLAs, a citizen. of the Unitednstates, residingat Los Angeles, in the countyof LosAngeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Cross the following is a specifica sections 1' t It is an object of this invention to provide a crossing thatis continuous avoiding gaps andobviating the jarring, pounding,

strain and, noise such nary crossing. a: f I A I .,It is anotherobject to provide acrossing of the type described,.Whichis automatic in its action, mechanically actuated and avoidsthe use ofmotors, springs or thelike.

as exists in the ordi- 1 It is a further object to provide a crossing in which movable rail sections are arranged to, provide continuous rails for crossing trains or cars, and which is so constructed as to minimize the-liability of the moving sections becoming jammed.

I accomplishthese objects by means (of the embodiments of my invention illustrated in the accompanying: drawings, in; which Figure l iswa plan view of a crossing showing the preferred form. r v

Fig. 2 is an elevationofthe construction shown in Fig. 1,, i i a q Fig; 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view seen on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the detail of connections between rail sect1ons.- i r Fig. 5 is a section asseen on the line 5+5 ofFigsc i ,Fig. 6 is an elevation of sections of the rail showinga modified formof my inven-' tion. a H

Fig. 17 is av fragmentary detail inelevation illustrating asafety device applied to the rail and wedge.

' vFigrS is anenlarged'detailtplan view showing the connections; betweenthe run: ning rails and movablerail sections.

.Referring to the preferred form of construction, and particularly to Fig. 1,A and A indicate pairs 1 ofrunning rails intersected by running rails B and Bf. :The intersections are preferably 1 in the form 1 of castings of. which .there'i are'f four, one 1 at Specification of Letters Patent. Patented AugQ2L 1917. Application filed September 5, 1916. Serial N o. I

eachcornerofthe square formed by the intersections. Bridging, the castings and completing the intersections are bridging rails 9, 10, 11 and 12. A suitable base plate 13 is. provided upon which the crossing is mounted. Secured to the base plate are brackets-O,,l4, 15 and 16. Bridging rails 9,10 11 and 1 2 are of similar construction and the mechanism for operating is the same for each rail. description of one will suiiice.

Bridging rail 11 comprises sections l7 and 18 pivotally securedto each other and to bracket 15 I prefer to use the pivotal connection shown in Figs't and 5 which comprises slotting rail 17 at the end and placing a tongue 19 upon section 18.. The slot in sectional? conforms to the shapeof a tongue 19 which is curved at the end. Registering apertures are formed insections l7. and 18 and. a pivot bolt 20 is mounted thereon. Pivot, bolt 201 is secured to. bracket 15. This construction permits sections 17 and 18 to swing about .the pivot bolt. Grooves 21 and 22 are formed; in the run ning rail intersectionsand tongues 23 and Zionthe rail sections register with grooves 21, and 22 respectively, This construction prevents transverse movementof the rail sections, and forms .a secure connection.

By referring to Fig.2 it will be noted that when sections .17 and 18 are moved upwardly with the upper surface thereof level with running rail .13, a continuous rail is formed for the passage of the car Wheel, lVhen. sections 17 and'lS' are lowered the continuity of the rail is broken and a space is permitted for the flange of thecar wheels to pass onthe rails A andA. The lowered position is shownin Fig. 3. The crossing is so constructedthat as the carmoves upon the same along running rails B and B bridging rails 9 and 11 are raised to form. continuous surfaces with the running rails last referred to, while bridging rails 10 and 12 are'lowered to permit the flanges to pass thereover. The reverse action occurs when a'ca-r, crosses onwthe running rails A and A.

An automatic mechanically actuated mechanism is provided for moving the rails. On the lower surface of each of the bridging rail sections are slots which, cooperate with wedges. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 section 17 is 'providedwith a s1ot 25 and section ,18 is provided :With'; a si ilar sl t -2 A d:

able wedge 27 cooperates with slot '25 and'a similar wedge 28 cooperates with slot 26. When the wedges are moved from the slot toward the free end 'of'thebridging'rail sections the sections are raised. When the wedges are disposed beneath the slots the rail sections are lowered, thus in Fig. 3, wedge 28 is' shown disposed in slot 26, while in Fig. 2 wedge 28 is moved out of the "slot and supports the rail section 18 in its upper position. Wedge 27 is pivotally connected to link 29, the other end "thereof'being con nected to a link'30." Wedge 28 is 'pivotally connect-ed to a link 31, the other end thereof beingconnected tolink 3'0. On the free end of link- 30 is pin 32 whichis' disposedina slot formed in the end of a lever 33. Lever 33 is pivoted to the base plate as indicated at 34 and is swufng'by' means of a trip 35 which is disposedonthe flange side-of the running rail A.

' hen lever '33 1s swung in one direction to move link 30 links 29 and '31 will be moved to pull wedges 27 and 28'below the recesses 25 and 26 and the rail sections 17 and 18 will drop as indicatedin'Fig'. 3to provide for a free and continuous passage of car'wheels along runnin-g rail-s A andA and bridging I rails 10 and 12; Link 30 is connected to one arm 36-ofa member 38 which is pivotally mounted upon the base plate" 13. Other armsare" provided to which are connected links'similar 'to link 30,feach of thelinks controlling a. pair of wedges under abridgin'g rail so that when one link is moved'the other linksare also moved. I

When link 3'0 is moved to lower rail sections 17 and 18', link 39 is moved to dispose the wedges under bridging rail 9 in such a positionthatthe sections thereof are also loweredi Link 40 is" moved to dispose the wedges under bridging rail 10 so that the latter is raised, and' similarly link 41 moves the wedges under bridging rail- 12 to lift the latter. A trip is providedon one of a pair of" running rails at "each approach to the crossing. 'All of'these trips are of similar construction and thedescription of one will suffice. Trip 42; is "shown inFig. 3'a'nd comprises a lever 43 'pivoted'on rail B at one-end Pivotally connected to the freeend is'a link 44 whiclrispivotally' secured to a crank 45, the latter being pi'votalljy mounted upon the rail; Gran-k 45yengages lever 46 which cor-' respond'sto lever33. The flange of a ear wheel' op'e'rates the trip, it engages by depressing it, also lowering the corresponding trip at the opp'osite rail andra-ising'the other p'air' ofi trips. "Assuming that a car is ap proachin'g the crossing on the running rails BPand'B", the-flangethereof will engage a lever 43 and force it downwardly, moving makes and lever 46 so that the slot at the end thereof moves toward bridging'ra'il 10. Link 40 is moved to theleft, and member, 38

4-8 are mo'untedupon the base plate.

that wedges 27 and 28 are forced outwardly toward the ends of rail sections 17 and 18,

bridging rail 11 and trip'35' are raised.

Movement of link 39 causes a similar raising of thesections of bridging rail 9 and'the trip corresponding-to trip 35. 'A continuous surface'is thus afforded for the car wheels to The travel along running rails B and B" over the crossing, the bridging rails lOand 12 having been loweredso that the flange does not ride upon them. The rails will'remain in this condition until a car approachesthe crossing along the running rails A and A. Theflange on acar wheel will'then engage trip 35 and member 38 will be moved by lever 33 and link 30. Thiscaus'es alowering of bridging rails?) and 11, anda raising of bridging-railslO and 12iwith a consequent raising of trip 42 and the corresponding trip adjacent rail 12. o

In Fig- 6 Ihave shown a modified form of bridging rails in which two brackets 47 and Arail section 49 is rdisposed'between brackets 47 and 48 and is immovable. Pivotally secured to'onefend of'rail section 49 is asection 5'0, and pivotally secured to the other end of rail section49 is a section 51. Wedges 52 and 53 cooperate with rail sections-50 and 51 in a manner similar to that' descri bed in the operation of the preferred form.

' Fig. 7 I have shown a safety device whi'c'h'will insure dropping of the rail sections'. The forms ofcon'struction before described in the dropping of the rail depends upon its own weight, and ifthecrossings are kept clean there will be little liability of the rails failing to lower. Rail section 17 is provided withasl'ot- 25 and a wedge 27 cooperating therewith in the same manner as the construction shown in-Fig. 2. Mount ed upon the base plate is a bracket-54, and pivotally mounted thereon'is' a'bell crank '55. The vertical arm of the bell crank is disposed to be-enga-ge'd'by wedge 27 as it is moved below the s1'0t=25 The horizontal arm disposed above a lug 56 on rail section 17. As wedge 2' 7- is moved to register with slot 25 it will engage the vertical arm of bell crank 55 and move the latter so thatthe horizontal armwillengage lug 5'6 and force the rail downwardly. If the rail dropsby its own weight the bell crank 55 will move with it and thewedge 27 will not engage the bell crank. Each railsection would'be equipped with one of the safety devices shownin Fig. 7 I

1 111 a railway crossing,- the combina of bridging rails to the levelof the running rail and the other pair below the running rails, and means tooperate said members.

2. In a railway crossing, the combination of bridging rails comprising sections mounted so as to move the ends thereof to and from the level of the running rails, mechanism to move a pair ofbridging rails to the level of the running rails and the other pair below said running rails, movable wedges disposed below the ends of said sections, and linkage securedto said wedges to move the latter and raise the section of one pair of bridging rails and lower the section of the other pair.

3. In a railway crossing, the combination of bridging rails comprised of sections mounted so as to move the ends thereof to and from the level of the running rails, mechanism to move a pair of bridging rails to the level ofthe running rails and the other pair below said running rails, movable wedges disposed below the ends of said sec tions, linkage secured to said wedges to move the latter, and raise the sections of one pair of bridging rails and lower the sections of the other pair, and a trip for operating said linkage disposed to be'actuated by the flange of a car wheel.

4:. In a railway crossing, the combination of bridging rails comprised of sections pivotally mounted so as to swing the ends thereof to and from the level of the running rails, mechanism to swing a pair of bridging rails to the level of the running rails,

and the other pair below said running rails, movable wedges disposed below the free ends of said sections to raise and lower the same, linkage interconnecting said wedges to simultaneously move the latter, those under the section of one pair of bridging rails lowering the latter and those under the sec- Oopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

time of another pair raising the latter, and a trip for operating said linkage disposed to be actuated by the flange of a car wheel.

5. In a railway crossing, the combination of bridging rails comprised of sections pivotally mounted so as to swing the ends thereof to and from the level of the running rails, mechanism to swing a pair of bridging rails to the level of the running rails, and the other pair below said running rails, movable wedges disposed below the free ends of said sections to raise and lower the same, linkage interconnecting said wedges to simultaneously move the latter, those under the sections of one pair of bridging rails lowering the latter and those under the sections of another pair raising the latter, and trips for operating said linkage one disposed adjacent the running rail end of a pair of bridging rails, and one adjacent the running rail end of the other pair of bridging rails and disposed to be actuated by the flange of a car wheel.

6. In a railway crossing, the combination of bridging rails comprised of sections pivotally mounted so as to swing the ends thereof to and from the level of the running rails, mechanism to swing a pair of bridging rails to the level of the running rails, and the other pair below said running rails, movable wedges disposed below the free ends of said sections to raise and lower the same, linkage interconnecting said wedges to simultaneously move the latter, those under the sections of one pair of bridging rails lowering the latter and those under the sections of another pair raising the latter, and trips for operating said linkage one disposed adjacent the running rail end of a pair of rails and one adjacent the running rail end of the other pair of bridgin rails, said trips mounted tobe actuated Iiy the downward pressure of the flange of a car wheel.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of August, 1916. v

. DEAN C. DOUGLAS.

Washington, D. G. 

